"Oh, Edward, how shall I meet her?" was the convulsive speech of
Julia, as she heard the fearful sounds of her mother's voice--a
voice never very musical, and which now, stimulated by unmeasured
rage--the rage of a baffled and wicked woman--poured forth a torrent
of screams rather than of human accents. We soon heard the rush
of the torrent up stairs, and in the direction of our chamber.
"Fear nothing, Julia; her power over you is now at an end. You
are now mine--mine only--mine irrevocably!"
"Ah, she is still my mother!" gasped the lovely trembler in my
arms. A moment more, and the old lady was battering at the door. I
had locked it within. Her voice, husky but subdued, now called to
her daughter-"Julia! Julia! Julia!--come out!"
"Who is there? what do you want?" I demanded. I was disposed to
keep her out, but Julia implored me to open the door. She had really
no strength to reply to the summons of the enraged woman; and her
entreaty to me was expressed in a whisper which scarcely filled
my own ears. She was weak almost to fainting. I trembled lest her
weakness, coupled with her fears, and the stormy scene that I felt
might be reasonably anticipated, would be too much for her powers
of endurance. I hesitated. She put her hand on my wrist.
"For my sake, Edward, let her in. Let her see me. We will have to
meet her, and better now--now, when I feel all the solemnity of
my new position, and while the pledges I have just made are most
present to my thoughts. Do not fear for me. I am weak and very
feeble, but I am resolute. I feel that I am not wrong."
She could scarcely gasp out these brief sentences. I urged her not
to risk her strength in the interview.
"As you love me, do as I beg you," she replied, with entreating
earnestness. "It does not become me to keep my mother, under any
circumstances, thus waiting at the door, and asking entrance."
Meanwhile, the clamors of Mrs. Clifford were continued. Julia's
aunt was there also, and the controversy was hot and heavy between
them. Annoyed as I was, and apprehensive for Julia. I yet could not
forbear laughing at the ludicrousness of my position and the whole
scene. I began to think, from the equal violence of the two ancient
dames without, that they might finally get to blows. This was also
the fear of Julia, and another reason why we should throw open the
door. I at length did so; and soon had the doubtful satisfaction
of transferring to myself all the wrath of the disappointed mother.
She rushed in, the moment the door turned upon its hinges, almost
upsetting me in the violence of her onset. Bounding into the apartment
with a fury that was utterly beyond her own control, I was led to
fear that she might absolutely inflict violence upon her daughter,
who by this time had sunk, in equal terror and exhaustion, upon a
sofa in the remotest corner of the room. I hastily placed myself
between them, and did not scruple, with extended hands, to maintain
a safe interval of space between the two. I will not attempt to
describe the tigress rage or the shrieking violence which ensued on
the part of this veteran termagant. It was only closed at length,
when, Julia having fainted under the storm, dead to all appearance,
I picked up the assailant VI ET ARMIS, and, in defiance of screams
and scratches--for she did not spare the use of her talons--resolutely
transported her from the chamber.